1991 Lumina Z34

[DanStokes]

I liked mine a lot. Red GT w/grey interior.

[Skeptical]

I had 4 of those at one time..

89 GTU 2.8/5spd
88 GT 2.8/5spd
93 GTZ 3.1/Auto
94 Z26 3.1/Auto (Not Pictured)




I enjoyed them for 3-4yrs and sold them all. They were fun cars.

Good looking collection you had there! A former friend of mine had a purple Z26 that I would have loved to get a hold of. I think the idiot traded it in on a truck in the early 2000's. What I'd really like to find is a 92-95 Grand Am GT. I used to want specifically a 2 door 5 spd HO quad 4 car. Prior to that, back in the 90's I wanted one of the 3300 powered cars and wanted to swap in the supercharged 3800. Any 2-door 92-95 Grand Am GT is on my list of weird cars to acquire if i can find one that isn't rusty or beat to hell (Even a beat to hell car would almost be worth grabbing now to me).

[Skeptical]

So I decided on a summit cam after seeing the absurd prices other cams have gone up to. $500 for a cam is just too much. I grabbed the SUM-8713R1 with a gift card I had to replace the LS9 cam I was going to run.


Out with the LS9 and in with the Summit cam.




I do like these specs. I tend to stick around 224 on the intake for street stuff. The lift numbers work well with the springs i already put on the heads so good to go there (Comp LS6+ springs).

[DanStokes]

Perhaps my best shop tip: With the engine out of the car put it on the bellhousing surface (or "on it's butt" as I say) and slide the cam in. It's dead easy and there's almost no chance of skinning up a cam bearing. Just watch that you don't displace the rear cam plug. Of course, in chassis you have to use the horizontal method but you might as well make it easy when you can.

[fatguyzinc]

Perhaps my best shop tip: With the engine out of the car put it on the bellhousing surface (or "on it's butt" as I say) and slide the cam in. It's dead easy and there's almost no chance of skinning up a cam bearing. Just watch that you don't displace the rear cam plug. Of course, in chassis you have to use the horizontal method but you might as well make it easy when you can.

and after youre done and the engine is right side up,
dont forget to check the trans locating dowels didnt get
pushed in too far.....

[DanStokes]

and after youre done and the engine is right side up,
dont forget to check the trans locating dowels didnt get
pushed in too far.....

Never had that problem but I guess that could happen. Worth a look for sure.

[Skeptical]

Long block is all buttoned up. I guess I need to open up the transmission and put the LSD in it next and get some more parts ordered for this beast.I took a week off in August so hopefully i can at least get this put in the car and start in on the Turbo and wiring junk.

[ejs262]

FYI, some cobalts, with the RPO FY1 got a numerically lower gear ratio for the F23, which may be a better match for the higher torque LS4. These cobalts were the "XFE" models, which were designed for eXtra Fuel Economy. I have a F23 in my fiero built using that final drive.

[Skeptical]

FYI, some cobalts, with the RPO FY1 got a numerically lower gear ratio for the F23, which may be a better match for the higher torque LS4. These cobalts were the "XFE" models, which were designed for eXtra Fuel Economy. I have a F23 in my fiero built using that final drive.

I was going to do that swap in my Cavalier to try and let 1st gear run out a little longer. I hate first gear in that thing.
For the Lumina, I was thinking the taller whell/tire combo would be offsetting it enough. I've been staring at this sub 1-inch input shaft on this thing thinking a turbo LS4 is going to twist that thing right off. I may set this F23 to the side (Maybe find a 99+ Grand AM Gt to put it in) and go ahead with the F40 because I HATE doing things twice. Speaking of which, I need to call SPEC back, they were supposed to be making the flywheel and clutch setup for the F23. Hopefully they haven't started but if they did, I may still be using the F23 for the first go.

[ejs262]

I was going to do that swap in my Cavalier to try and let 1st gear run out a little longer. I hate first gear in that thing.
For the Lumina, I was thinking the taller whell/tire combo would be offsetting it enough. I've been staring at this sub 1-inch input shaft on this thing thinking a turbo LS4 is going to twist that thing right off. I may set this F23 to the side (Maybe find a 99+ Grand AM Gt to put it in) and go ahead with the F40 because I HATE doing things twice. Speaking of which, I need to call SPEC back, they were supposed to be making the flywheel and clutch setup for the F23. Hopefully they haven't started but if they did, I may still be using the F23 for the first go.

They say great minds think alike, but they don't say idiots don't think alike too...

https://www.realfierotech.com/viewtopic.php?t=21841

it's still a work in progress, hopefully I'll have it back on the road by the end of the month.

[Skeptical]

They say great minds think alike, but they don't say idiots don't think alike too...

https://www.realfierotech.com/viewtopic.php?t=21841

it's still a work in progress, hopefully I'll have it back on the road by the end of the month.

that's a killer thread you have going over there. Nice work too! I was thinking you would just be able to use the stock mounts from the 2.4l Grand Am with 5spd or modify them slightly. It's been years since I've been under the hood of one of those cars. I loved'em when they were new. Aside from working on them back then I did piles of the pre-delivery inspections when they'd come in off the truck at the dealership. They moved a lot of those cars.

[ejs262]

that's a killer thread you have going over there. Nice work too! I was thinking you would just be able to use the stock mounts from the 2.4l Grand Am with 5spd or modify them slightly. It's been years since I've been under the hood of one of those cars. I loved'em when they were new. Aside from working on them back then I did piles of the pre-delivery inspections when they'd come in off the truck at the dealership. They moved a lot of those cars.

Thanks

the stock mounts will work for the rear mount, and it will also work for the side mount, if your cradle has provisions for it, however, the F23 with the Metric bellhousing does not have provisions for the front mount, so a custom mount must be used. I elected to make all of my own mounts. I might be selling that one to fund a 3rd gen firebird, but it needs to be finished first.

[Skeptical]

Thanks

the stock mounts will work for the rear mount, and it will also work for the side mount, if your cradle has provisions for it, however, the F23 with the Metric bellhousing does not have provisions for the front mount, so a custom mount must be used. I elected to make all of my own mounts. I might be selling that one to fund a 3rd gen firebird, but it needs to be finished first.

Keep it AND buy the 3rd gen Firebird. Those Grans Am GT's get harder and harder to find every time I look for one. Speaking of 3rd gens, there is an 86 Trans Am that I've been eyeballing not far from the house. It's been sitting on flat tires in this company's parking lot for who knows how long. At some point I'm going o go ask about it. Add it to my collection of fun.

[ejs262]

Keep it AND buy the 3rd gen Firebird. Those Grans Am GT's get harder and harder to find every time I look for one. Speaking of 3rd gens, there is an 86 Trans Am that I've been eyeballing not far from the house. It's been sitting on flat tires in this company's parking lot for who knows how long. At some point I'm going o go ask about it. Add it to my collection of fun.

they are, but this one also just doesn't do much for me, I'm not wild about FWD cars, if I keep it long term, and the drivetrain fails in any significant way, it will get converted to RWD, but I'm not sure that will happen.

Ideally, I'd like to find a 85-90 non T/A Firebird, I'm not wild about the GFX on them, I prefer the base and Formula versions. engine and trans don't matter, as they wouldn't stay for long... lol!

[Skeptical]

Got the F40, Jack shaft, shifter cables and shifter. Just happened to find a local auto recycler that just got a manual G6 in. Paid more than I'm used to at the U-pull-it joints but I justified it since they did all the work to pull the stuff and they were awesome to do business with. Also talked to Spec on Friday. They are making the flywheel and clutch setup. Once those things show up, I can bolt this thing together and plop it in the car. I was thinking too that since I don't need the LS4 computer to run the auto anymore, one of those Holly Terminator setups might be the way to go. It's way cheaper to run a stock computer and use HP Tuners since I already have it but I've been kinda wanting to try the Holley setup.



Fixed picture I think.